title: Giant pseudoaneurysm of the splenic artery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Visceral artery pseudoaneurysms are uncommon. They most commonly affect the splenic artery and are secondary to chronic pancreatitis. Giant pseudoaneurysms (5 cm or larger in size) are rare and, until now, only 19 cases have been reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 47-year-old chronic alcoholic and diabetic male presented with upper abdominal pain of 1-month duration without any other significant complaint. Computed tomography was performed which revealed features of chronic pancreatitis along with a splenic artery pseudoaneurysm measuring 7x4 cm in size. As the disease was confined to the body and tail of the pancreas, the patient underwent a distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy along with resection of the pseudoaneurysm with an uneventful postoperative course.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Splenic artery pseudoaneurysms, especially the giant variety, are uncommon. As they are most commonly secondary to chronic pancreatitis, they are better managed surgically which resolves the pseudoaneurysm as well as its underlying cause (i.e. chronic pancreatitis).
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University. Chowk, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. India.
authors.forename: Vishal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Abhijit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chandra
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D013156:Splenectomy; D013157:Splenic Artery / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome